Clamp-type surgical instrument



Oct. 11, 1966 A. JOHNSON 3,277,895

CLAMP-TYPE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Sept. 20, 1963 will/[i0luv/1711111,

INVENTOR Charles (Zn/5571 5070,

United States Patent O 3,277,sas CLAMP-TYPE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT CharlesA. Johnson, Box 179, Lemmon, S. Dak. Filed Sept. 26, 1963, Ser. No.310,262 3 Claims. (Cl. 128325) This invention relates to surgicalinstruments and more particularly to an end lock for a clamp-typesurgical instrument.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedscissors or clamp-type surgical instrument having means thereon forurging the jaws thereof tightly together.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedsurgical instrument wherein there is provided means for urging thegripping jaws thereof tightly together so that tissue held therebetweenis squeezed in sealing relation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a locking means forsurgical instruments so that skin tissue held between the gripping jawsmay be urged tightly together by the jaws to prevent leakage orbleeding.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a positive endlock for a clamp-type surgical instrument for urging the gripping jawstightly together so that skin tissue held therebetween may be squeezedtogether in sealing relation to prevent fluid leakage or bleeding andwherein said end lock is provided with a positive locking means formaintaining said end lock in its operable position constantly urging thegripping jaws tightly together to continually maintain tissue heldtherebetween in sealing relation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the following description of the preferred embodimentillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a clamp-type surgical instrument of thehemostat variety with the locking means of this invention mountedthereon;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the instrument shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the instrument shown inFIGURE 1 illustrating the position of the locking means of thisinvention prior to engagement with the gripping jaws of the surgicalinstrument;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIGURE 3 showing thegripping jaws of the surgical instrument opened;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view similar to FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a section view taken along the line 66 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 is an end view taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 there is shown a surgicalinstrument 10 which is basically a hemostat-type instrument having apair of handles 12 and 14 pivotally secured together as at 16 inscissor-like fashion. The instrument 10 is shown clamping tissueindicated in dotted outline at 17. The handles are provided withgripping or clamping jaws 18 and 20, respectively, which have opposedinwardly facing mating serrated surfaces 180 and 20a, respectively, forpositively clamping tissue therebetween when the jaws are broughttogether in clamping engagement. At the terminal end of one of theclamping jaws, such as 20, there is a generally perpendicularlyextending pin 22 adapted to register in a mating slot 24 in the oppositejaw to aid in the precise registry of the serrated surfaces when thejaws are brought together in clamping engagement.

The opposite ends of the handles .12 and 14 are provided with well knownfinger loops 26 and 28, respectively, for aiding in manipulation of theinstrument. Each handle "ice '12 and 14 is further provided withinwardly facing projections 30 and 32, respectively, near the fingerloops. These projections are offset in a plane relative to the handlesand have inwardly facing ratchets 34 and 36, respectively, in the formof oppositely inclined teeth so that they engage in locking relationwhen the handles are brought together to clamp tissue between theclamping aws.

The embodiment illustrated is provided with a well known circumcisionshield 38 which underlies the clamping jaws of the instrument and has asubstantially longitudinally extending slot 38a therein permitting skintissue to pass therebetween and be clamped by the clamping jaws. It hasbeen found that the instrument of this invention is particularly usefulin preventing bleeding in circumcision operations but it is to beunderstood that the invention has many other applications withclamp-type surgical instruments used in human and animal surgery whereit is desirable to clamp tissue and prevent bleeding or fluid leakage.

The surgical instrument of this invention is provided with first meansfor urging the jaws together in tightly clamped engagement to effectuatea sealing relation when tissue is held therebetween, and a second meansfor looking said first means in its urging position to maintain the jawsin tightly clamped engagement to hold tissue therebetween in sealingrelation.

The first or urging means includes a generally U-shaped locking jaw 40which is pivoted at 41 to the free end of an auxiliary or locking handle42. The locking handle 42 is, in turn, pivotally mounted at 43 to theinstrument 10, which mounting, in the embodiment illustrated, attachesthe handle 42 to the shield 38. The locking jaw 40 is provided with aserrated surface 44 on the interior of one leg 40a thereof. The serratedsurface 44 is adapted to engage the outside surface, such as 20', of theterminal end of the opposite clamping jaw, such as 20, when the clampingjaws are brought together with the handles 12 and 14 locked by theratches 34 and 36, the locking jaw is pivoted about its mounting toenvelope the terminal ends of the clamping jaws therebetween and thehandle 42 is drawn toward the handle 14.

The second or locking means includes the auxiliary or locking handlewhich is pivoted at 43 to the surgical instrument. The pivot 43 isoffset from the pivotal mounting 41 of the jaw 40 to the handle so thatas the handle 42 is drawn toward handle 14, the jaw 40 will be drawnagainst the outside of the jaw 20. The locking handle is also providedwith a well known finger loop 48 for facilitating the manipulationthereof. Aligned projections 50 and 52 are provided on the auxiliaryhandle 42 and on the handle \12, respectively. These projections arealso offset relative to the plane of the instrument similar to theprojections 30* and 32 and are also provided with ratchets such as 54and 56, respectively, having oppositely inclined teeth adapted to engageand lock when the auxiliary handle 42 is brought toward the handle 12.

In operation, to release the locking means from the posi tion shown inFIGURE 1, the handle 42 is unlocked from the handle 14 by slightlyurging the two handles together to permit the ratchet means to unlock ina well known manner. The handle 42 is then swung outward away from thehandle 14, releasing the pressure of the jaw 40 against the jaw 20. Thispermits the jaw 40 to be grasped, such as at the projection 40b, andswung about its pivotal mounting 41 free and clear of the jaws 18 and 20as shown in FIGURE 3.

Conversely, to grasp tissue in sealing relation with the instrument, thejaws 18 and 20 are first opened as shown in FIGURE 4 to permit thereception of tissue 17 therebetween. The jaws 18 and 20 are then broughttogether by swinging the handles 12 and 14 together so that they are ina position as shown in FIGURE 3. The jaw 40 is then pivoted about themounting 41 on the handle 42 to a position shown in dotted outline inFIGURE 3 where it envelopes the jaws 18 and 20 therebetween. The handle'42 is then pivoted about its mounting 41 and brought toward the handle14. Since the pivotal mounting of the jaw 40 on the handle 42 is beyondthe pivotal mounting 43 of the handle, this offset relation causes thejaw 40 to be drawn toward the side of the jaw 20. As the handle 42 nearsa position where the ratches 54 and 56 may be brought together inlocking engagement, the serrated surface 44 contacts the side 20 of thejaw 20 causing it to be urged more tightly against the jaw .18. Finally,as the handle 42 is locked to the handle 14, the instrument is in theposition shown in FIGURE 1 with the tissue 17 tightly clamped betweenthe jaws 18 and 20 and the jaw 40 urging the jaw 20 against the jaw .18with a sufficient force such that the tissue 17 is held therebetween insealing relation so that fluid, such as blood, is prevented fromescaping. Upon cutting the protruding portion of the tissue 17, which isabove the jaws 18 and 20, there will be no bleeding or fluid leakage dueto the sealing effect of the uniform crush of the tissue. The surgicalinstrument may be removed and the crushed tissue may be separated fromthe healing portion without the loss of blood.

It is to be understood that the locking means of this invention may havenumerous other applications for use with various clamp-type surgicalinstruments in human or animal surgery in addition to the hemostat witha circumcision shield illustrated herein. In general, this locking meanshas application wherever the locking jaw may be pivoted to the free endof an auxiliary handle which, in turn, is pivoted near the free end of ascissors or clamptype instrument, providing means for urging thegripping jaws of the instrument tightly together so that tissue heldtherebetween is uniformly crushed to prevent the leakage of blood orother fluids.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, itis to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes,therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention as set out in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a surgical instrument having a pair of intersecting pivotallyconnected cross handles with clamping jaws at the ends thereof, lockingmeans for locking the jaws in sealing relation comprising: a lockinghandle pivoted to said instrument near the free ends of said jaws, meansfor securing said locking handle to said instrument when said handle isswung about its pivotal mounting and drawn toward said cross handles;and a locking jaw pivotally mounted on said locking handle in a positionto embrace the free ends of said clamping jaws, said locking jaw pivotalmounting being offset relative to the pivotal mounting of said lockinghandle so that said locking jaw is urged against one of said clampingjaws to force the clamping jaws together in sealing relation as saidlocking handle is drawn toward said cross handles to be secured thereto.

2. In a surgical instrument having a pair of intersecting pivotallyconnected cross handles with clamping jaws at the ends thereof andshield means secured to the underside of one of said jaws and extendingradially outwardly therefrom, locking means for locking the jaws insealing relation comprising: a locking handle pivotally mounted on saidshield at a point laterally spaced from the side of one of said jaws andnear the free end thereof, means for securing said locking handle tosaid instrument when said locking handle is swung about its pivotalmounting and drawn toward said cross handles; and a generally U-shapedlocking jaw .pivotally mounted on the terminal end of said lockinghandle and inwardly facing in a position to embrace the free ends ofsaid clamping jaws, said locking jaw pivotal mounting being offsetrelative to the pivotal mounting of the locking handle to permit saidlocking jaw to be swung about its mounting to substantially embrace theends of the gripping jaws within the U-shaped opening thereof so that assaid locking handle is drawn toward said cross handles to be securedthereto said locking jaw will be moved transversely relative to thelength of said gripping jaws to a position where one side of theinterior of said U-shaped locking jaw will be urged against the outsideof one of said clamping jaws to force the clamping jaws together insealing relation.

3. In a surgical instrument having a pair of intersecting pivotallyconnected cross handles with clamping jaws at the ends thereof, lockingmeans for locking the jaws in sealing relation, comprising: a lockinghandle pivoted in said instrument near the free ends of said jaws formovement between a first and second position; means for securing saidlocking handle to the instrument when said locking handle is in saidsecond position; a locking jaw having a clamping jaw engaging portionconstructed and arranged to urge the clamping jaws together, saidlocking jaw mounted on the instrument and connected to the lockinghandle for movement relative to the clamping jaws and to the lockinghandle, and for movement with the locking handle responsive to movementof the locking handle, said connection being such that when said lockingjaw is positioned with its clamping jaw engaging portion adjacent one ofthe clamping jaws, movement of said locking handle to said lockingposition causes said locking jaw to tightly urge said clamping jawstogether.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 385,076 6/1888Stohlmann 128321 FOREIGN PATENTS 869,388 5/1953 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

G. MCNEILL, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A PAIR OF INTERSECTING PIVOTALLYCONNECTED CROSS HANDLES WITH CLAMPING JAWS AT THE ENDS THEREOF, LOCKINGMEANS FOR LOCKING THE JAWS IN SEALING RELATION COMPRISING: A LOCKINGHANDLE PIVOTED TO SAID INSTRUMENT NEAR THE FREE ENDS OF SAID JAWS, MEANSFOR SECURING SAID LOCKING HANDLE TO SAID INSTRUMENT WHEN SAID HANDLE ISSWUNG ABOUT IT PIVOTAL MOUNTING AND DRAWN TOWARD SAID CROSS HANDLES; ANDA LOCKING JAW PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID LOCKING HANDLE IN A POSITION TOEMBRACE THE FREE ENDS OF SAID CLAMPING JAWS, SAID LOCKING JAW PIVOTALMOUNTING BEING OFFSET RELATIVE TO THE PIVOTAL MOUNTING OF SAID LOCKINGHANDLE SO THAT SAID LOCKING JAW IS URGED AGAINST ONE OF SAID CLAMPINGJAWS TO FORCE THE CLAMPING JAWS TOGETHER IN SEALING RELATION AS SAIDLOCKING HANDLE IS DRAWN TOWARD SAID CROSS HANDLES TO BE SECURED THERETO.